Risk Markers for Male Perpetration of Sexual Assault on College Campuses: A Meta-Analysis
Abstract
Sexual assault (SA) on college campuses remains a prominent public health issue. This meta-analysis focuses on identifying all potential risk markers for college male SA perpetration. Using standard search procedures, a total of 25 studies yielding 89 unique effect sizes were included in the study. Significant risk markers were related to hegemonic masculinity (e.g., peer approval of SA, rape myth acceptance, sexist beliefs, hostility towards women), other forms of dating violence perpetration (e.g., physical and psychological dating violence perpetration), and the college party culture (e.g., binge drinking, alcohol and substance use, frequency of hook-ups). Psychological dating violence victimization, athletic team membership, race/ethnicity, relationship status, and religiosity were not significant risk markers for SA perpetration. Findings support potential benefits of SA prevention efforts prioritizing peer education/student leaders modeling SA disapproval, challenging hegemonic masculinity, healthy relationship and sexual education, as well as alcohol and substance use awareness.
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Biographies
Chelsea M. Spencer, PhD, LCMFT, is a research assistant professor in the Couple and Family Therapy Program at Kansas State University. Her research interests include intimate partner violence, intimate partner homicide, and sexual violence. She specializes in quantitative methods and meta-analyses. Chelsea is also a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist.
Matthew Rivas-Koehl, MS, is a doctoral student in Human Development and Family Studies at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His research focuses broadly on relationships, human sexuality and violence prevention. His work seeks to critically interrogate the role of gender and systemic bias that perpetuate inequities in relationships and society.
Shelby Astle, M.S., CFLE, is a doctoral student in the Applied Family Sciences program at Kansas State University. Her research interests include parent-child sexual communication and sexual self-concept.
Michelle L. Toews, PhD, CFLE is a Professor in Applied Human Sciences at Kansas State University. Her major research interests include teen dating violence, sexual assault, relationship education, and adolescent parents’ relationships. She has received over $11 million in federal-funding to develop, implement, and evaluate relationship education programs for at-risk youth.
Kristin M. Anders, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences at Kansas State University. Her research interests include sexual and relationship development in adolescence and emerging adulthood. Specifically, her work focuses on healthy sexual development and unhealthy relational patterns among these populations, including strengthening programs aimed at the prevention of relationship and sexual violence on college campuses.
Paige McAllister, MS, is a doctoral student in the Couple and Family Therapy program in the Department of Applied Human Sciences at Kansas State University. Her research interests include sexual violence prevention and treatment, sexuality and relationship education with a focus in teaching consent, and positive aspects of sexuality identity development.
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